Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire series
Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire series by Chris Marie Green. Genres and Sub-Genres Urban Fantasy / UF Mystery * "The novel is firmly planted within the urban fantasy genre, but it recalls the more vibrant world of cozy mysteries" ~ PW Series Description or Overview Jensen Murphy is a ghost who was murdered in the 1980s and has been trapped in a time loop ever since until released by a Medium named Amanda Lee. Amanda enlists her help in getting the suspected murderer of her dear friend to confess by frightening him in exchange for help in solving the mystery of her own murder. Jensen has lost thirty years and now needs to catch up with the ways of the modern world. And she has to learn what being a ghost means and what her abilities are. She also has to grow up and discover her own inner strength and what she wants to be. ~ Hopestar Lead's Species * Ghost, Para-PI Primary Supe * Ghosts, psychic mediums What Sets it Apart * Ghost as a lead Narrative Type and Narrators * First person narrative told by Jensen Murphy. Books in Series Ghost For Hire series: # Only the Good Die Young (2014) # Another One Bites the Dust (2014) # Every Breath You Take (April 2015) ~ Final Other Series by Author Vampire Babylon series World Building Setting ? Places: * Elfin Forest: where Jen was murdered; Supernatural Elements ✥ Ghosts, psychic medium, vampires, werewolves, ghouls, unknown spirit, spirits, evil specter, ghost hunting TV show, ghost hunters, ghost-magic, wiccans, , , Glossary: * Boo World: Jen and other ghost's term for being in their ghostly state * Interactives: Intelligent spirits who "still have our personalities and...can think." (p. 95) These ghosts can move about among humans, see and communicate with other ghosts, manipulate objects, manifest vocal sounds, and go into the waking and sleeping minds of humans. They survive on electricity, but get the most power from their actual death spot. * Noninteractive Spirits (aka Imprints): Ghosts stuck in time-loop imprints, destined to relive their deaths over and over again. They are unaware of their surroundings and never leave the exact place they died. These ghosts are "confused and afraid and won't come out to play like Interactives do." (p. 95) * Malevolent Ghosts: We learn next to nothing about these spirits in book 1, except that they exist and that they are dangerous to both humans and to other ghosts. * Wrangler: a reaper— and if a ghost decides to leave the earth and go into the glare, he or she can call on the wrangler for a ride into the afterlife. * Cleaners: ghostbusters—human enemies who use salt and iron to send the ghosts on to the light. * Grim Reaper: * Keeper: * Mediums: psychics who can see and communicate with ghosts, sometimes just one and sometimes many, depending on the level of the medium's power. World ✥ Welcome to the Boo World—a world of ghosts who exist among the mortal population, although most mortals aren't aware of their existence. In this universe, ghosts are energy trapped at the moment of death. The series mythology includes several types of ghosts: Interactives, Noninteractive Spirits (aka Imprints), Malevolent Ghosts Not all spirits remain on earth as ghosts. Some go on into the glare (a bright light) immediately following their deaths. "Not every spirit lingers or falls into a time loop. Sometimes there's so much anguish connected to their deaths or the people they leave behind that they can't stand the aftermath. Some spirits seek the light right away. Others…fall into a numb imprint." (p. 211) What happens in the afterlife is unknown. As one mysteriously powerful entity explains, "Not even I know what's beyond us, because once you go there, you don't come back. It might be heaven or hell, nirvana, or even a parallel dimension where everyone gets another chance in a reincarnated life." (p. 210) Each ghost has a wrangler—a reaper—and if a ghost decides to leave the earth and go into the glare, he or she can call on the wrangler for a ride into the afterlife. Abilities: Most of the ghostly characters are Interactives. They can enter buildings through cracks, chimneys, and open windows, but they can't move through solid objects like walls. They always look exactly like they did at the moment of their death—the same clothing and hairstyles—so it's easy to figure out when they died just by looking at them. Oddly, they don't manifest the injuries that led to their deaths—no broken bones, bruises, or contusions. They can modify their shapes to suit various purposes—for example, becoming thin enough to slip through the narrowest cracks, becoming fist-shaped to pound on a wall. Their major human enemies are cleaners—ghostbusters who use salt and iron to send the ghosts on to the light. Most ghosts don't have much to do with humans, but some do maintain relationships with mediums (aka psychics) who can see and communicate with ghosts, sometimes just one and sometimes many, depending on the level of the medium's power. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: Chris Marie Green: JENSEN MURPHY, GHOST FOR HIRE SERIES * Excerpt: Vampire Babylon by author Chris Marie Green ✥ Ghosts in this series can induce hallucinations, imitate sounds and throw their voices around. They can enter dreams and sift through your memories, or getting a feel for someone’s emotions and thoughts simply by making contact with them. These abilities take a lot out of a ghost though, because they are made up of pure energy. To recharge, they have to draw from a source of electricity in order to juice up again. ~ The BiblioSanctum Protagonist ✥ The series heroine, Jensen (Jen) Murphy, was in her early twenties when she was murdered 30 years ago. She was the designated driver for a group of her pot-smoking, heavy-drinking friends one night when they went out partying in the Elfin Forest (in Southern California). Jen had been slamming down can after can of Mellow Yellow (a highly caffeinated soft drink popular in the 1980s) and wandered off into the woods for a "bathroom break," only to disappear forever. In book 1, Jen has memory flashes of being killed with an ax by someone wearing an old-lady mask, but she can't remember anything else. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: Chris Marie Green: JENSEN MURPHY, GHOST FOR HIRE SERIES ✥ Jensen Murphy, a twenty-three year old woman who was murdered in Elfin Woods sometime in the 1980s. Her death was so traumatic that not only did she lose all her memories of that night, her spirit was also trapped in a time loop and became an imprint until a psychic medium named Amanda Lee came along and snapped her out of it. Ever since then, Amanda Lee has been helping Jensen get up to speed on all that has happened in the last thirty years (unsurprisingly, our protagonist’s mind is totally blown by this whole internet thing). It turns out that one of the reasons Amanda rescued Jensen was so that she could have access to a ghostly assistant, in the hopes that her spirit abilities could help identify the killer of one of Amanda Lee’s dearest friends who was murdered a few years ago. The main suspect was the victim’s ex-boyfriend. Convinced that he did it, Amanda Lee now wants Jensen to haunt the guy and scare the bejeezus out of him so badly that he will eventually break down and confess his crime. ~ The BiblioSanctum Book Cover Blurbs ✤ BOOK ONE—Only the Good Die Young (2014): You know the theory that ghosts are energy trapped when someone dies violently? It's true. I know it for a fact.... My name is Jensen Murphy, and thirty years ago, I was just an ordinary California girl. I had friends, family, a guy who might have been the One. Ordinary - until I became a statistic, one of the unsolved murders of the year. Afterward, I didn't go anywhere in pursuit of any bright light - I stayed under the oak tree where my body was found, and relived my death over and over. So when a psychic named Amanda Lee Minter pulled me out of that loop into the real world, I was very grateful. Now I'm a ghost-at-large - rescued by Amanda (I found out) to be a supernatural snoop. I'm helping her uncover a killer (not mine - she promises me we'll get to that), which should be easy for a spirit. Except that I've found out that even ghosts have enemies, human - and otherwise... ~ Fantastic Fiction ✤ BOOK TWO—Another One Bites the Dust (2014): Jensen Murphy is back in the spooky sequel to Only the Good Die Young. Some people think that ghosts are spirits that refuse to go to the other side because they have unfinished business. Take my word - that's true. I should know. I'm a ghost. I was an ordinary eighties California girl, dead before my time, until psychic Amanda Lee Minter pulled me out of the time loop where I was reliving my death over and over. Now I'm Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire. I decided to put my spooky talents to use in helping Amanda Lee track down bad guys and killers (including my own). It's taken time to figure out exactly how that will work (our first case was definitely a learning experience for all involved), so when a young woman asks Amanda Lee for help convincing her best friend to leave a dangerously hot-tempered boyfriend, I'm ready and willing to use our collective powers on her behalf. But some people are dangerous not only to the living - especially when there are darker forces involved.... ~ Fantastic Fiction ✤ BOOK THREE—Every Breath You Take (2015): The author of the Vampire Babylon series and Only the Good Die Young presents another ghost story... Ever wonder what happens after you die? Well, as a ghost, Jensen Murphy could tell you - and the truth is much stranger than anything you could imagine... I never accomplished much when I was alive. As an average eighties California beach bum, I, Jensen Murphy, didn't have any direction. But since I've joined Boo World, I've found a calling. Now, I'm a supernatural investigator, using my ghostly skills to spook confessions out of bad guys. But being a paranormal PI is taking its toll. Spirits are hounding me for justice day and night, and, now, a ghost hunting TV show is digging up dirt on my unsavory demise that I'd rather keep buried. Worst of all, a seriously evil specter is making my afterlife hell by hurting the people and ghosts I care about. To stop him, I'll need assistance from a higher power—only the price I'll have to pay for that help could be my very soul... ~ Fantastic Fiction Category:Series